Plastic Rebirth
by aeddyn
Summary: Tsukasa confronts SAI president and his old co-founder, trying to restore Isla's memories. Can they be restored? What is SAI hiding? And who is Tessa? ***side note: Achikawa is Isadora's first name***


Knock. Knock. "Hey, Tsukasa, you home?" Michiru called from the hallway.

Her voice sounded muffled through the door. Tsukasa lifted his head, but put down. Thoughts flooded his head of what he could have done to save her.

 _I could've run away._ His heart thought.

She would have become a wanderer. His brain responded.

 _The memory wiping is a conspiracy so SAI Corporation can make money. They put an expiration bug in her and all the giftias._

Do you have proof?

 _Its obvious. They reuse them!_

Don't you think SAI would make yearly expansion software and charge a fortune to make more money?

 _She's still alive. I won't let her die._

"Tsukasa." Michiru broke his inner debate. "I...I'm leaving you some dinner. You need to eat."

He wanted to thank her and tell her not to bother anymore, but he had inadvertently scared her when she said he needed to move on. That was nearly a week ago and she still didn't act the same around him.

You need to apologize. His brain started in.

 _For what?! She was being callous._

She knows what its like to lose someone precious.

He sat in Isla's chair. Her smile came back to him as he started sobbing again. Tsukasa had read and reread her diary for clues that would lead to her resurrection...nothing.

 _It cannot end like this._

He picked up the expanded technical manual on Isla and started reading again. He grabbed the page he was on and flipped back to page 5-6, which displayed Isla from head to toe. Embarrassed, he flipped to page 7-8 that displayed Isla with her characteristic work uniform. _I will find you._

Tsukasa shook awake. He had fallen asleep in Isla's chair. Luckily, he had eaten last night and slipped a note under Michiru's door. His logical brain won in that instance. He looked at the floor where the book had opened up. The book was very helpful and even included her master override code (MAC). Saying the MAC would render them completely under the control of the activator, even suppressing their emotion and personality.

 _Probably why she never brought up having a technical manual._

Unfortunately, there was little about retrieving memories. He picked the book up with the page open about the chair. He looked at the overall diagram and gasped at the text pointing to the left arm of her chair – personal recorder. He read it over twice, thrice, and then hyperventilated.

 _Don't get too excited._

Tsukasa spent the next 3 hours reading everything front and back on the personal recorder. He plugged in a universal parallel wireless (UPW) into the underside of the chair's arm. The green light indicating connexion lit and he inputted Isla's MAC. Another light flashed and blinked ultra fast...something was downloading, something big. Tsukasa stared at the flashing light the entire time as if Isla was going right into his UPW.

 _She will live!_ Tsukasa's emotions shouted.

Why did SAI not tell others about this? It makes no sense. His brain countered.

 _Conspiracy._

You should ask.

After downloading, he saved the UPW unto his computer upstairs and stuck the UPW in his jacket. He paused and pulled it back out.

Knock. Knock.

"Yeah?" Michiru answered the door.

"Tsukasa?" She was shocked. "I-uh, got your note. Its cool."

"Michiru, can you do me a favour?"

She looked up, still not at ease with him.

He handed her the UPW.

"What is this?" She asked.

 _Tell her. Shout it from the mountaintop._

Don't get ahead of yourself.

 _Wait, she could be part of the conspiracy._

After what happened with her father, hardly. But if that's what it takes to agree with your head then that's fine.

"President Isadora, there's a Tsukasa Mizugaki here to see you." The receptionist called in.

"Send him in, please."

Tsukasa stood in front of Isadora's desk. He fumbled for words.

"Let me start out by giving you my condolences. I heard you and Isla were close. If there's anything I can do..."

"Sir, there is." He paused. "I would like to have Isla back."

"Wish you would've came to me sooner. She has just shipped out."

"Where?"

"You need to..."

"I don't care about my job or the cost."

Isadora gave him the address. "Tell the former recipients that I will comp them and take 25% off their purchase."

Tsukasa thanked him and ran out.

Isadora pressed the recipient pager. "Get me R Security."

Tsukasa swerved in and around traffic.

"Slow down!" Michiru hung on to the car door. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better, but I would like to not throw up in the company car!"

He went into a residential-shopping neighbourhood, hard-braked in front of a convenience store, and dashed inside.

"Get me a chocolate soda."

"Hi, welcome." He turned towards the voice – the voice of Isla. She looked a bit different with her hair in a ponytail rather than twin tails.

"Isla!" His tears started flowing.

"Sorry, my name is Tessa."

He looked back down at the address. "No, I'm pretty sure that's you. Is the manager here?"

Tessa went to the back and an elderly man came out. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, sir. Have you had Tessa long?"

"This is actually the middle of the second day. Why is Terminal Service visiting me on the second day? Is there a problem?"

Tsukasa fell to the floor and bowed his head. "Please..." His voice started breaking. "I want her back."

"Son. Look at me."

Tsukasa lifted his head.

"Do I look familiar at all?"

He shook his head.

The manager chuckled. "I guess I wouldn't after all these years. Is Isla what they were calling her for the past several years?"

"Sir?"

"I used to work for SAI Corporation a long long time ago, back when giftias looked like plastic and walked like ASIMOV. You could say I just couldn't stay retired."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not following." He wiped his eyes.

"Isla was the first giftia ever made that looked totally like a human. She was modelled on my daughter, Tessa."

He couldn't say a word. Her father had every right to her.

"Don't worry. I recognize true love when I see it...and I see it." He turned to Isla/Tessa. "Tessa, I want you to go with my friend here. Do as he says, please."

"Okay."

"Let me visit sometime, alright."

Tsukasa smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

The manager's face turned serious. "Go out the back...now!"

Tsukasa turned around and saw R Security approaching the entrance.

Tsukasa and Tessa ran down the back alley until the company car pulled out in front of the alley's exit.

"Why is R Security..." Michiru stopped mid-speech gawking at Tessa.

They both got in. "Drive!" He shouted.

"Is there a reason why I'm evading R Security? And why do you have Isla?"

"Do you have the UPW?"

"Zack has it. Why?"

"Umm. My name is Tessa."

"Have him meet us at 4th and Ka."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm driving our vehicle!"

"Keys are by the dresser in my room. Use mine."

"Alright, hang on." Michiru stepped on the gas and flew off the highway at the last moment, while R Security drove on, unable to turn off.

"I'm sorry, sir. They exited the highway. We are continuing..." The R Security captain explained over the phone.

"Capture them dead or alive." Isadora commanded.

"Sir, there are humans with the giftia. We can't open fire until..."

"Collateral damage. Don't worry, SAI will take the blame."

"Are you asking me to fire on..."

"I'm asking you to do whatever you can to destroy that giftia."

"Really, guys? This is my day off. You know what level I was on?" Zack complained. "Oh, hey, Isla."

"Really, that's your reaction?" Michiru sat beside Tessa. "Tsukasa, I've never interfaced before." Tsukasa had explained the situation on the way, though she was still sceptical.

"Where is the interface at?" Zack grinned.

Tsukasa apologized to Tessa and lifted her shirt to access her belly button. Her eyes had blue sweeps of light as the data loaded.

"Can you really restore her memories?" Zack asked.

"I hope so."

Three sonic bullet ricocheted off the road.

Everyone rushed in the car, carefully laying Tessa down in the back, as several more shots were fired.

"They are breaching protocol." Zack commented.

"Really, that's your reaction?" Michiru said getting back on the highway and swerving through traffic. She was swerving a bit more this time.

"Michiru, you okay?" Tsukasa asked.

"Zack, trade places." Michiru whispered as she fell over.

Zack pulled her into his seat as he grabbed the wheel. He fumbled as the car decelerated and R Security shot out their windows. The seat was covered in blood.

"Tsukasa..." She whispered, coughing up blood. "I hope you are reunited with the one you..." She passed out.

Tessa sat up fast. "Location updated." She looked at Tsukasa. "You came for me. How did..." She noticed Michiru covered in blood in the front seat. "Activating first aid."

"Trouble." Zack shouted over the wind. "R Security has tanks and helicopters now." He pointed 3 km ahead.

"Negative. That is the Self-Defense Force (SDF)." Tessa – apparently Isla now – said. "Condition stabilized – hospitalization required." She said, referring to Michiru.

The SDF motioned for them to go through. They then blocked R Security and detained them.

Michiru was airlifted to the hospital via one of the helicopters on the scene.

"How did the SDF..." Tsukasa asked, holding Isla, as they all rested outside the vehicle.

"That would be my doing." The manager approached them. "Did I mention the prime minister owed me a favour?"

"Manager?" Isla asked.

"Oh, I see..." Tsukasa started to doubt if the memories correctly downloaded or if they were dumped as a virus.

"No need for concern. Tessa – I mean Isla – has both the several years as Isla and the two days as Tessa."

"Okay. I'm hungry now. Tsukasa, you're buying." Zack mumbled as he reached for his ringing phone.

"Yeah?" Zack grew really still and stiff. "MAC accepted. Orders confirmed." He turned to Tsukasa and Isla.

"Hey, Zack, what's going on?" Tsukasa asked. "Shouldn't you go check on Michiru?" "Zack, I'm gonna make dinner. What do you want to eat?"

Zack dashed towards them and kicked the company car off the highway bridge.

"His restraints were removed! Tsukasa, he will kill you!" The manager shouted.

Isla defended Tsukasa from Zack.

Tsukasa reached for his EM pistol.

"No, I can save him." Isla blocked another kick.

"Do it! If he uses the chair, his data is saved." The manager said.

"Isla, duck!" Tsukasa shot his pistol as Zack kicked him against the other side of the highway bridge.

Tsukasa woke up in a hospital room with Isla holding his hand.

"How long was..."

"Three days. Zack didn't pull any punches."

"Yeah, just kicks." They both laughed. "Hey, how is he?"

"We followed the old procedure and Zack's memory is restored...well up to two months ago. He tends to sleep on the couch playing video games. Last time he slept in the chair was two months ago."

"That's good. Wait, old procedure?"

"The technical manual on me was the original print that was pulled. The new one had all mention of the recorder removed."

"Who would do that?"

"Me." The manager entered. "I know, I know. I sound like a monster, but I had my reasons. Let me explain over lunch."

Michiru joined them as the manager told of his past. "You see, I co-founded SAI Corporation with Achikawa. I wanted people to have life-long companions, but he saw things differently. I thought he wanted more profits, so I suggested maybe yearly expansion packs, but it wasn't just profits. He was really scared. Scared of our own creations. Scared that they would learn that they are not just property to be bought and sold. He scrapped and banned all talk of life-long companions and gave an absolute time limit for their memories. And, to protect SAI, he created R Security whose secret mission is to destroy all giftias who rise up. The first giftias had to be eliminated by R Security otherwise people would think they could live forever. The time limit programming was added later, but Achikawa directed that five giftias were to go over expiry so that the people would be afraid of the "wanderers" and not rise up against SAI for not extending lifespan. He then created Terminal Service. I resigned, but the patent was in SAI's name so I could not make my own giftia company." He took a sip of his vanilla soda. "In the year after I resigned, I was elected to the House of Councillors and helped craft and revise bills. I tried to introduce bills that would protect giftias and even require extended lifespan, but it was too late. The public was scared and the representatives dared not even try. After that, I opened a franchise in that shopping district where you met me."

"So what's gonna happen now?" Tsukasa asked.

"I've been reinstated as the president of SAI after Achikawa was arrested on attempted murder in the second degree. The time limiter will be removed and the backup recorder will be made public."

"Achikawa?"

"Zack's mysterious phone call."

"One thing I still haven't figured out though." Tsukasa said. "How did I end up with the original technical manual?"

"Let's just say I have an old friend who works in the maintenance department."

Nine months later...

"Daddy, are you taking me to work today?" A brown haired girl in small pigtails asked.

"Yeah. We gotta wait for mommy. They wanna see her at work too." Tsukasa knelt down to his adopted daughter.

"I'm still not used to this." Isla said coming out of the bathroom. Her belly was a bit more rounded.

"Don't think anyone really is."

"I mean giftias don't have babies. The only reason I'm pregnant is because dad and one of his doctor buddies found a way to splice your DNA and simulate what my DNA would be if I were human. Do you think the baby will be a human or a giftia?" Isla asked.

"Does it really matter?" Tsukasa hugged her as they headed to the office to see everyone, including his somewhat father-in-law.


End file.
